Life-preserving float.



No. 660,504. Patented oct, 23, |900.

S. GERMAN. LIFE PRESERVING FLOAT.

(Application led Feb. 7, 190D.)

(Nin Medel.) 2 Shasta-Sheet l.

BVM

No. 560,504. Patentd out. 23, |900.

S. GERMAN. LIFE PRESERVING FLOAT.

(Application led Feb. 7, 1900.)

(No Modal.) 2 Sheqts-Sheat 2.

'/N VEN Tof? Solomon fer/H04L.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

SOLOMON GERMAN, OF DAVIDSONVILLE, 'MARYLAND LIFE-PRESERVING FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 660,504, dated October 23, 1900 Application tiled February 7, 1900- n'eral No. 4,357. L No modem To all w/wm t 71160;/ concern.'

Be it known that 1, SOLOMON GERMAN, of Davidsonville, in the countyof Anne Arundel and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Life-Preserving Floats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life sa'ving and preserving appliances, and has for its principal object a float for this purpose which will be collapsible, so as io be conveniently' packed for transportation, which can be easily Vset up and inated and quickly made ready for launching in case of emergency, and which can when desired be used as a ducking, hunting, or pleasure iioat.

rlhe invention consists in certain details of consti-notion and arrangement of the parts which I shall hereinafter specifically describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved life saving and preserving float. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar View taken approximately on the line 4 fl of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame-tubing of the float and one of the hangers for the propelling mechanism shown detached.

My improved float consists of a rubber or other suitable waterproof fabric, forming the somewhat-elliptical top and bottom 10 and 10, spaced apart and connected integrally by the sides 10b. Near its middle the oat is provided With an opening 10c, adapted to t around a persons waist, and the float is further provided with a split portion or slit 10d, through which the person may have access to the waist-opening 1()c by opening the float at the slitted portions.

The [ioat is inflated by an air-purnp through the air-inlet 10c and is held rigid and extended by a tubular metal frame constructed in sections. This frame consists of top and bottom V-shaped bow-sections 11, connected together by rule-jointed braces 11, U-shaped sternsections 11b, similarly connected by braces 11C, and intermediate top and bottom sections 11d, having threaded ends adapted to screw into the ends of the bow and stern sections and being themselves divided on one side of float into interlocking sections detachably held together at the slit 10d by pins 11C, and hinged at the other side in order that a person may enter the waist-opening and then Vlock the frame together. 'lhe framing is attached to the body Of'the lioat by straps ll, as best seen in Fig. 2.

The propelling mechanism is separably secured tothe lioat by having'sockets 12 form ed on the tubing, as shown in Fig. 6, and hangers 13 have dovetailed `wedge-shaped fianges 13, by which they are held in the sockets. The said hangers are also each formed with apertured ears 13", in which the horizontal propeller-shafts 14 are journaled, said shafts being operated by means of pinions 14, secured thereto and meshing with bevel gear- Wheels 14b on vertical driving -shafts 14C, journaled in one arm of each hanger. On the upper end of each vertical driving-shaft 14C is keyed a ratchet-Wheel 15, adapted for engagement with a pawl 15a on a hand-lever 15b, which latter is mounted on the shaft above the ratchet-wheel. The stern-sections 11b are also formed with sockets 16 on each side, in which are adapted to it seat-standards 16a, extending below the float, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and having a seat 17, hinged to their lower ends. Operating-levers 17 are fulcrumed on the standards, as shown, and are connected by links 17b to the seat 17, so that by pushing the levers rearward the seat may be raised to horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the operator may sit comfortably in the Waist-opening of the float and propel the latter by reciprocating the ratchet-levers 15". It is obvious that the float may be conveniently steered by Working one lever independently of the other.

For subsistence in case of a shipwreck or as a receptacle for game or the like when the float is used for hunting purposes l provide the compartment 1S in the front portion of the ioat, said compartment having a screwcap or other Water-tight cover 18a.

To pack the float away or to render it portable When traveling, the air is discharged through an outlet 19, the propelling mechanism and seat are taken off, the intermediate sections are unscrewed from the bow and stern sect-ions, and the latter are collapsed by knocking down the rule-jointed braces and are folded one on top of the other.

It will he seen that. I have provided a complete and serviceable iioat for the purposes set forth and which can be packed away in a comparatively small space.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

, l. A float of the character described comprising an inatable body portion, a frame formed of top and bottom bow-sections, top and bottom stern-sections, rule-jointed braces connecting each top section with its respective bottom section,intermediate sections conn ecting the bow and stern sections, and means for securing all of said sections to said body portion whereby to form a rigid frame for the fioat, as set forth.

2. A Iioat of the character described, comprising an inat-able body portion formed of waterproof fabric and having a central opening adapted to fit around a persons waist and a slit leading into said opening whereby access may be had to the latter, and a rigid frame constructed in bow and stern sections strapped to the body portion, and intermediate sections secured to the ends of the bow and stern sections as set forth.

3. A float of the character described, com prising a body portion formed of Waterproof fabric and having a central opening and a side slit leadinginto said opening, and a rigid tubular frame formed in separably-connected sections, those sections located at the slit being divided and having interlocked members, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a float of the character described, a body portion provided with a rigid tubular frame formed with sockets, hangers having dovetailed Wedge-shaped iianges adapted to fit in said sockets, and propelling devices mounted in said hangers, as set forth.

5. In a float of the character described, a body portion provided with a frame having sockets thereon, seat-standards detachably fitted in said sockets, a seat hinged to said standards, and levers fulcrumed on said standards and having a link connection with the seat, as set forth.

6. In a iioat of the character described, a body portion formed with an opening adapted to fit around a persons waist, a seat hinged to swing in a vertical plane at one side of said opening, and means for holding said seat in a horizontal position, as set forth.

SOLOMON GERMAN.

\ Witnesses: I

GEORGE E. DAVIDSON, BENJA. R. DAVIDSON. 

